The laws that govern the safety of workers and safe operations in shops or sites are called 'Occupational Health and Safety' laws. You may also refer to general guidelines collectively known as 'Workplace Health and Safety'.

In Canada, there are several government agencies that work collaboratively to create health and safety guidelines for workplaces:

• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), and...
• Health Canada

The government also has an online portal that lists the Canadian Occupational Health and Safety laws as they are laid out in the Canada Labour Code Act. This portal can be found through the Justice Laws Website under the title - Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304).

What do contractors and renovators need to know about Health and Safety laws?

• Companies, managers and workers are responsible for following health and safety regulations in their region, including personal safety, operation of machinery, hazard mitigation and general safety practices in shops or on sites.
  
• Failure to adhere to occupational health and safety laws may result in heavy fines or jail time.
  
• A written safety plan and written plan for emergencies is a must for every construction and renovation company, no matter the size of the workforce.
  
• The safety rules and procedures at a workplace must be enforced, repeated often and commonly understood by all workers.